LA City Council Approves Water Rate Ordinance

The Los Angeles City Council has approved an amended water rate ordinance -- representing an 11 percent increase in water rates -- proposed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to ensure that LADWP can continue providing a reliable supply of high quality water to the city's 3.9 million residents.

The increase, which passed by a 10-4 vote, will go into effect 30 days after Mayor Jim Hahn signs the amended water rate ordinance. The new rate will represent about $2.94 of a typical customer's average monthly bill and will generate approximately $60 million in revenue annually. The water rate action will enable LADWP to pay for increased security, upgrading or replacing aging infrastructure, and complying with increasingly stringent state and federal water quality regulations.

"I recognize that this was a difficult decision for the City Council, and I applaud their action today," said Mayor Hahn, who had previously expressed support for the amended water rate ordinance. "Together we recognize that an increase is necessary to sustain and secure something as critical as our water supply. I also want to thank the many stakeholders, especially Neighborhood Council representatives, for being such an important voice in this process."

Councilman Tony Cardenas, who chairs the Committee on Commerce, Energy, and Natural Resources (CENR), supported the amended rate ordinance, which represents the first water rate increase in more than 11 years.

"This is a tough vote, but I'm voting 'yes' because it is the right thing to do," Cardenas said. "Clean, reliable water is costly, but not making the right decision can cost more in the long run."